Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to trash cans and refuse containers. More specifically, the present invention pertains to a refuse container that is adapted to securely house and shield replacement receptacle liners. The structure of the present invention is one preferably of detachable components, or alternatively may be a unitary structure. Storage of the replacement liners is completely shrouded from the interior of the receptacle thereabove.
Common trash receptacles and containers employ a structure that includes upstanding sidewalls that form an open interior to house trash, refuse or recycling material that is collected over a period of time. Generally these receptacles are lined with disposable liners or bags, which shroud the interior surfaces of the receptacle from the refuse and prevent dirt, grime and other contaminates from contacting the interior of the receptacle walls. This improves overall cleanliness of the receptacle and reduces the need to continually clean the device after each filling, as solid and fluid refuse is largely contained within the liner to create a physical barrier that keeps the container interior cleanly. However, it is not uncommon for such liner bags to tear, burst or otherwise leak while in operation. This is common during periods when the liner is overfilled, when liners of poor quality or structural integrity are utilized, or during the withdrawal of the liner from the receptacle. During liner removal, snagging of the liner, load placed on the liner bag from the user placing upward tension on the bag, and finally the traction along bag exterior created by the receptacle sidewalls introduces a risk of tearing or rupture of the liner walls.
The latter occurrence is one where the receptacle interior may be exposed to solid and liquid refuse leaking from a compromised liner bag. This often results in contamination of the receptacle interior, and further to exposure of replacement liners that may be kept beneath the liner being removed. It is common to keep several unused and replacement liners beneath a deployed liner, wherein the replacement is readily accessible once the first liner is filled and subsequently replaced. Further still, receptacle devices having been developed that include a lower cavity specifically for storing receptacle replacement rolls or liner boxes therein for this purpose. However, it is submitted that during extraction of the liner and in the event of a ruptured liner, these replacement liners and cavities are exposed to the refuse being removed. Most receptacles having a lower interior cavity form an open aperture for accessing a roll or folded set of liner replacements, which provides little to no shielding of the replacement liners, particularly if liquid waste leaks from the liner being removed.
The present invention is therefore submitted to address the clear need for a receptacle having a means of storing replacement liners therein, while further providing a means of separation between the liner cavity and the receptacle cavity being lined. Thus, a secure boundary is established that prevents unused liners from being compromised by trash being removed and discarded, particularly in the event of a liner failure. No uncovered through-holes or open penetrations are provided along the boundary, but rather a removable access panel is provided that creates a sealed closure of the lower cavity and a ready means of access to replacement liners stored within a liner box or deployable roll thereof within the cavity and beneath the receptacle interior.
Description of the Prior Art
Devices have been disclosed in the prior art that relate to trash receptacles. These include devices that have been patented and published in patent application publications. These devices generally relate to receptacles that include a lower storage cavity for replacement liners, while further providing a means of accessing the liners via an aperture that does not prevent liquid or solid waste from crossing its boundary. The forgoing are list of devices deemed most relevant to the present disclosure, which are herein described for the purposes of highlighting and differentiating the unique aspects of the present invention, and further highlighting the drawbacks existing in the prior art.
Specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 5,115,935 to Lemongelli discloses a disposable bag box that permits the easy engagement and release of bags from a cavity along the base of a trash receptacle. The trash receptacle is adapted to be lined with a disposable trash bag that extends from a bag containing box housed within an enclosure along the base of the receptacle, wherein bags are easily pulled therefrom and separated to line the receptacle interior and trapping discarded debris. The enclosure of the receptacle forms a tapering cavity to wedgably receive the bag box therein. The bag box further includes two parallel slots for positioning a communicating a disposable bag therethrough and from the bag box within the receptacle enclosure. The act of removing a bag full of refuse from the receptacle automatically pulls the next, attached bag upwardly from the bag box for replacement within the receptacle. The Lemongelli device, while disclosing a receptacle particularly suited for a bag box and a continuous roll of disposable bags, does not shield the bag box from refuse that may leak from a torn or burst bag. The present invention provides a barrier between the replacement bags and the receptacle interior to prevent contamination of unused bags in this scenario.
Another such device is U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,507 also to Lemongelli, which discloses a trash receptacle adapted to be lined by disposable bags that are fed one at a time from a box of folded bags held within a bag box-receiving cavity. The upstanding portions of the cavity include inward tabs that secure the bag box within the cavity and prevent the box from freely exiting the cavity. Embodiments of the receptacle include a cavity having a downwardly facing opening or alternatively upwardly facing openings for loading the bag box into the cavity. Once inserted, bag liners are removed from the bag box to line the receptacle open portion above the lower cavity. Similar to the '935 Lemongelli device, the '507 device provides no physical barrier between the bag box and the open portion of the receptacle adapted to be lined with the liner bags.
In a similar manner as the Lemongelli devices, U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,123 to Yang discloses a garbage can having a packaged and folded plastic bag supplier, wherein the plastic bags are folded and interconnected with each other within a box along the base of the can for supplying a continuous stream of bags therefrom. A base supports the package box of folded bags while feeding bags through a slot along its upper plate surface. The upper plate surface forms the base of the garbage can when installed therein, while the box of bags is supported using a pair of L-shaped legs extending downwardly from the upper plate. Lacking from the Yan design is a means to conceal the unused bags from the receptacle or garbage can interior portion, which exposes the unused bags to refuse and liquid prior to their use.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,226 to Yurko describes a waste container structure to receive a garbage bag dispenser box through a side opening along the base of the container. The waste container comprises an open interior with upstanding sidewalls, along with an enlarged sidewall slot for sliding a rectangular garbage bag box thereinto. The bag dispenser box is prevented from being lifted upwards while advancing a new bag therefrom by inwardly extending projections provided along the inside wall of the container. The container is preferably rectangular for accepting a garbage bag box; however a circular embodiment is disclosed having openings opposite of the side opening to accept the corner regions of the bag box therethrough and center the bag distribution opening along the top of the box within the container. The Yurko device provides a side access door with only tabs separating the bag box with the rest of the receptacle, which is a consistent failing that similarly fails to shroud the unused bag from refuse and liquid within the receptacle.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,458,259 to Falk discloses a trash receptacle and a magazine attachable to the base of the receptacle for housing and dispensing disposable receptacle liner bags into the receptacle through an aperture in the base of the receptacle. An upwardly open base of the magazine is adapted to accept the base of the trash receptacle, which connects via a hinge thereto to allow one to reach into the receptacle without separating the magazine from the receptacle. Receptacle liner bags are stored within a box positioned within the cavity of the magazine and fed through the base of the receptacle, wherein the two are removably attached to one another to form separate structures secured as one assembly. While providing a means of inserting and lining the interior of a receptacle, the Falk device requires two separable components: a receptacle with a specific aperture in its base, and an accompanying and corresponding magazine adapted to accept the receptacle and feed liners through the aperture along its base. The present invention differs in structure and operation, wherein a removable divider forming the enclosure cavity within the receptacle base is described. The cavity of the present invention is sealable from the interior of the receptacle via a lid, preventing cross contamination between the two cavities.
Similar in style to the aforementioned receptacle devices, U.S. Pat. No. 4,798,363 to Cortesi provides a waste basket having a roll of liner bags within its lower section, whereby the roll of liners is fed through a slot in the base of the waste basket for successive replacement bags as a first bag is withdrawn from the basket and discarded. The device comprises a lower cavity and a separating wall, wherein the wall forms the base of the waste basket and provides an aperture for feeding the continuous roll of liners therethrough. Similar to the aforementioned drawbacks, the Cortesi device provides no barrier that would block liquid or solid refuse from entering into the aperture and contaminating the unused liner bags.
Finally, and of similar design as the Cortesi device are U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,503 to Maki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,364,490 to Lang and Published U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0191941 to Barrett. These devices also disclose trash cans or waste receptacles forming a lower enclosure having an aperture to readily withdraw a replacement liner therethrough as a first liner is removed and discarded. The roll of liners is connected along a line of perforated connection, whereby the first bag is removed while simultaneously withdrawing another through the aperture in the base. None of these or the aforementioned devices provides a physical barrier or means to separate the interior of the waste receptacle with the lower cavity forming a housing for a roll of replacement liners or receptacle bags.
The present invention provides a new trash receptacle structure having a formed interior cavity that is divided and sealed off from the receptacle interior, providing a means of physical separation between utilized and filled liner bags with replacement bags stored within the cavity thereunder. The receptacle is preferably formed of a removable interior divider shelf, wherein the interior divider affixes to the receptacle sidewalls and the cavity formed below the divider is accessible via a removable lid. Alternatively a receptacle having an interior divider shelf may be designed of unitary construction for loading and accessing liners within the lower cavity. Overall, it is submitted that the present invention address a clear need in the art for separated storage of replacement liners within a trash receptacle interior. The structure and intent of the present invention substantially diverge in design elements from the prior art, and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing trash receptacle devices. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.